Debunking the Myths of Aging and Illness
I propose, based on research evidence from the fields of cultural psychoneuroimmunology, cultural neuroscience, functional medicine, biocognitive science, and cultural anthropology, the following: Illnesses are culturally learned and the causes of health are inherited. Growing older is the passing of time, and aging is what we do with our time based on the culturally-learned premises we use to interpret our experiences. Family illnesses are propensities rather than genetic sentencing. Growing older does not have to be a progressive and uncontrollable deterioration. Addictions and other behaviors of excess are not illnesses: they are socio-culturally learned strategies to avoid fear of accepting…
A Stressed Out Baboon
We all complain about stress, but what is it really? National Geographic did a wonderful report on what stress is by not only looking at humans and our environment, but also through baboons and science. In watching specific tribes of baboons who ate the same food, lived in the same area, and experienced the same natural threats, scientists found it was not environment but social interaction and social rank that caused stress. The baboons that experienced stress and the physical symptoms of stress were those on the bottom of the food chain. They were the weak males being picked on by…
Share Your Light In the World Even if You’re Retired
A lot of my girlfriends are retired after many years of service in the workplace. Some play golf, others engage in card games, still others sit on boards of charities and have lofty goals. Some of them were teachers, saleswomen. doctors; still others held significant positions in corporations. And there are those whose jobs were to care for their families and those particular friends or relatives did not work outside the home. But it seems I get the same chorus from most of them, “so when are you going to retire?” And there are times when I waffle back and…
Get Into the Glow From the Inside Out
By Sheevaun Moran. Have you lost the luster in your hair, the sparkle in your eyes and the verve in your step? Do you look older than you think you should? Are you overwhelmed by work, family, obligations and all you want is a permanent vacation? Is your mind too tired to think? Is your body too soft? Is your attitude dim? These are all things I was reminded of when doing a book signing the other day. I hear these very same complaints from CEOs, entrepreneurs, people wanting to change jobs or have a relationship, and clients wanting to…
1, 2, 3… Simple Ways to Reverse the Aging Process (No Purchase Necessary)
By Michele Howe. Sometimes we make things way more complicated than they are. Every marketer tries to sell us a product that includes a promise to reverse the aging process. In truth, it would be much easier if these products worked. But since they don’t…we have to rely on doing things the old-fashioned way by implementing self-discipline and doing some lifestyle introspection. Like most people, I love shortcuts…but with health and aging, they simply don’t work. Here’s what does…in three simple steps. There are several lifestyle changes that can result in improved health and positively affect the aging process. Promise.…
Birthdays and Bone Density – How One Should Remind Us of the Other
By Michele Howe. Making the most of every birthday (every day)...aging strong (and healthy.) I love birthdays...my own and everyone else's! Call it a hangover from childhood memories and those early traditions...but birthdays are the single one day of the whole year when it's just fun to pick what you where you want to go (sitting on a warm beach) and what you want to do (sitting on a warm beach with a great book and playing my favorite music) and what you want to eat (sitting on a warm beach with a great book and playing my favorite music…
Green Smoothies!
I'm embarrassed to remember back a few months ago when I was discussing health on the telephone with Vitamix president Jodi Barnard, and I proudly shared that I'd just had a smoothie for breakfast. For me, that meant dumping protein powder, a few berries and some water and ice into my Cuisinart blender and hoping it would chop the ice fine enough to drink, which it did....sometimes. When she asked me if I'd ever had a green smoothie, I had to confess, that not only had I never had one, I wasn't even sure what it was. Boy, did I…